Device and method for adjusting the hook height and feeding of curtain hooks

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for feeding curtain hooks, which each consists of a strip and a hook part connected thereto, to a sewing machine which can sew the strip of a supplied curtain hook to a curtain, comprising: a supply holder for the curtain hooks, displacing means for displacing one curtain hook at a time in a straight line to a desired position for sewing on the strip, and adjusting means for automatically adjusting the mutual position of strip and hook part connected thereto. The invention also relates to a method for feeding curtain hooks.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. Device for feeding curtain hooks, which each consists of a strip and a hook part connected thereto, to a sewing machine which can sew the strip of a supplied curtain hook to a curtain, comprising: 
       a supply holder for the curtain hooks,  
       displacing means for displacing one curtain hook at a time in a straight line to a desired position for sewing on the strip, and  
       adjusting means for automatically adjusting a mutual position of the strip and the hook part of the one curtain hook,  
       wherein the adjusting means transport the one curtain hook in a circle segment-shaped path from a position close to an underside of the supply holder to the straight line in which the displacing means displace the one curtain hook, and during a progression through the circle segment-shaped path, a desired mutual position of the hook part and the strip is adjusted.  
     
     
       2. Device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the supply holder consists of a vertical tube in which the curtain hooks are buffered stacked on top of one another. 
     
     
       3. Device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the circle segment-shaped path of the adjusting means ends in or close to the straight line in which the displacing means displace a curtain hook. 
     
     
       4. Device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the adjusting means comprise: at least one rotatable disc, which disc is adapted to carry a curtain hook, and a stop co-acting with the disc for engaging on the hook part of the curtain hook during rotation of the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       5. Device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the rotatable disc is provided with locking means for fixing the position of the strip of a curtain hook carried by the disc. 
     
     
       6. Device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein a hook-placement position of the stop is adjustable. 
     
     
       7. Device as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the hook-placement position of the stop is adjustable with an adjusting member lockable in a plurality of positions. 
     
     
       8. Device as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein a transmission is arranged between the adjusting member and the stop with a transmission ratio from a displacement of the adjusting member to a displacement of the stop for adjusting the hook-placement position which is less than 1. 
     
     
       9. Method for feeding curtain hooks, which each consist of a strip and a hook part connected thereto, to a sewing machine which can sew the strip of a supplied curtain hook to a curtain, comprising the successive steps of: 
       A) feeding a curtain hook from a supply holder along a circle segment-shaped path, a desired mutual position of the strip and the hook part being adjusted during the progression through this circle segment-shaped path, and  
       B) further displacing the curtain hook with the desired mutual position of the strip and the hook part to a sewing machine along a linear path connecting onto the circle segment-shaped path.  
     
     
       10. Method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the desired mutual position of the strip and the hook part is determined prior to progressing through step A by adjusting the means for feeding curtain hooks along the circle segment-shaped path. 
     
     
       11. Method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the orientation of the curtain hook after progressing through step A is the same as the orientation in which the curtain hook is further displaced according to step B. 
     
     
       12. In a device for feeding curtain hooks to a sewing machine for the purpose of sewing a strip of a supplied curtain hook to a curtain, the improvement comprising adjusting means, said adjusting means comprising: 
       at least one rotatable disc, said disc adapted to carry a curtain hook; and  
       a stop coacting with the disc for engaging on the hook part of the curtain hook during rotation of the rotatable disc.